A/N: Thanks for the reviews, and even those who don't review: thanks for reading.
Chapter 3 Ellie spent as little time on the campaign trail as she was able to and only visited the White House when she had to, preferring to go to the farm in Manchester than the Residence, and shunning her Secret Service detail whenever possible.
There were a few boyfriends but none that were that serious, and some days she was counting the months until her dad left office but then he ran for re-election. She got her medical decree then a post-doctorate fellowship; the issues with funding and Congress messed up things for a while and only confirmed her suspicions that her life wasn't just her own. Then Sara came along, and she was different from the other women Ellie normally liked, and at first sight she liked Sara so much more. Sara had been sitting on the other side of the bookstore, covertly eating a Mars bar, a pile of books on the table in front of her and her light brown hair falling into her eyes.
Ellie wandered over to that side of the shop, her own potential purchases in hand and sat down at the neighbouring table. The other woman looked up as Ellie sat down and they smiled at each other. The two shot frequent glances at each other, until Sara caught Ellie's eye. The both smiled sheepishly and the brunette, stuck out her hand,
"I'm Sara."
Ellie shook it, "Ellie. Do you fancy getting a cup of coffee with me?"
"Thanks, I'd like that."
The pair went to the front of the shop and paid for their books
then to the small Starbucks round the corner, which Ellie frequented.
The teenager behind the counter recognised Ellie from her frequent
visits and asked,
"The usual?"
Ellie nodded, then looked at Sara, to ask what she wanted.
"A grande vanilla latte."
Ellie paid for their orders and they found a table near the emergency exit, Sara seemed not to have noticed her three agents, one at the table by the exit. Another in the queue and third by the door.
They chatted, generally getting to know each other. Ellie debated for a moment then said, "I'm actually Ellie Bartlet, not just Ellie."
Sara seemed confused for a second, then recognition
struck.
"You're President Bartlet's daughter?"
Ellie nodded, "one of them", unsure of what to say next, she pushed her hair back behind her ears in a nervous gesture. Sara sipped her coffee, before starting to speak.
"I don't know what to say. It's not the kind of thing that happens very often, you meet someone new, like them and start to get to know them, then find out they're the President's daughter who probably has her own Secret Service agents!"
Ellie winced. Sara hadn't raised her voice, but the things she said were the same thoughts that were running through Ellie's own mind.
"I know." Ellie sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "There are so many days when I wish my dad wasn't President, so that I could have a normal life and date the people I want to."
Ellie's hand fell back onto the table, Sara reached out and took it. Ellie smiled at her and squeezed her hand in return.
"Is there any chance we can see each other and just keep it quiet?" Sara asked, a hopeful expression on her face.
Ellie looked slightly doubtful and replied, "I don't know... but I want to keep seeing you, so I guess we give it a try?"
She smiled nervously and Sara nodded in return, their hands still joined.
"Come back to my apartment for dinner?" Sara asked.
Ellie frowned and shook her head,
"No. Well, I want to but
my detail will want to check it out. Mine? And we can talk to agents,
try and work something out?"
"Sounds good to me."
They stand, coffees finished, and drop hands after a moment. Sara stands awkwardly as Ellie talks to the man at the table by the door, for the first time she notices that he has an earpiece.
TBC...
